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Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Today was the day. Today was the day I thought about 1000s of times over and
over again through the years. Today was the day I had my knee replaced after
being told 40 years ago after a traumatic injury that this day would arrive.

Up at 4:00 a.m. to scrub my leg with a powerful antibacterial scrubbing
solution my surgeon’s office gave me. Headed to the hospital I found the registration desk and
I was asked every question that could be asked about me. Then I was placed in a
pre-surgical room and was told to dress in this small front closure only
small sheet like looking gown with two strings to tie around the neck. My leg
was shaved, an IV started, and blood work drawn. The anesthesia doctor rolled
in and suggested that we do a spinal tap. I was thinking that would be the best
way to go but I needed to mentioned from a previous injury I had my two lower
vertebras fused to my tail bone. As
suspected he said he would not be able to initiate a spinal tap for pain
control in that area. But would just move it up notch or two and poke me there
so I guess I just get more body parts numb for the same price.

As he leaves the ‘drug nurse’ rolls though the door with about 9 containers
of various drugs and proceeded to inject all these foreign substances in my
body through my IV.

She leaves closes the door and now my room is empty. Worry, fear, doubt suddenly
hit me in the new found silence. The clock on the wall was ticking, ticking,
and ticking excruciatingly slow. Each second seemed like a minute as I waited.

Most of what happens next I don’t remember, besides power pain medication I
was also given a shot of an amnesia drug.

I do remember sitting in a chair attached to the bed in surgical room
leaning over while the anesthesia doc locates a nerve exiting my spinal column
for pain control.

My doctor told me later that day the surgery took about twice as long as
planned. Previous repairs had left 5 staples and 2 screws which wanted to stay
in me. He told my bone was exceptionally hard causing additional time. But now “It
is Finished” I finally took the leap, and believing in enjoying life again
without knee pain.

I now sit in my hospital room 26 hours later, I will not be allowed out of
bed until sometime tomorrow. Pain is tolerable at this time but I understand
that is primarily due to the spinal block I received this morning.

I was told tomorrow physical therapy will start working with and I will
learn new profanity. I hope not I don’t need any additional education in that
department.

Tuesday, November 25, 2014

I moved all my bikes out of my basement and into the garage.
It will be months before I ride them again and they are just crowding and
overcrowded basement. Tomorrow I say goodbye to my left knee. It has served me
well in spite of a severe injury in 1974 and four repair surgeries over the
years. After ripping out ligaments and cartilage I still was able to spend
1000s of hours powerlifting, swimming, running, and cycling over the years. But
now the time has come, the last four years my knee has told me when I can ride,
how far and how hard I can ride. Yes I did have 126 mile days, grueling hill
climbs and 350 mile weeks on the bike this year but I also had weeks and weeks
when I could not ride, cortisone shots, days walking with a cane, and hours on
the couch with ice bags.

I am compulsive. I have been making notes for weeks in
preparation of everything I need to do to get everything ready to make a house
livablewhen walking is difficult,
stairs hurt, and high powered pain killers race through my bloodstream. My indoor bike waits in the dining room for my return from the hospital for rehab.

So tomorrow morning a team of medical professionals will
remove what remains of my damaged left knee and replace with titanium alloy and
polyethylene parts. I am going into this as strong as I can be; I’ve kept
bicycling up to this weekend. I am scheduled for 6 weeks of therapy afterwards and
my goal is to conquer every challenge my therapists throw at me.

I plan to chronicle my journey, the ups, downs, and
everything in between of a cyclist whose goal is to work hard and get back on his
bike and ride, one mile at a time until the day I can ride 100 miles again. Hence the title “0 to 100”

Dance your own Dance

I have often heard, "Dance like nobody is watching"

I say, "Dance, like you don't care if anybody is watching."

Be yourself, be who you are do your own thing.

"That proves you are unusual,' returned the Scarecrow; 'and I am convinced that the only people worthy of consideration in this world are the unusual ones. For the common folks are like the leaves of a tree, and live and die unnoticed."

About Me

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The world's shortest and happiest fairytale.

Once upon a time, a guy asked a girl, "Will you marry me?"

The girl said "NO!"

And the guy lived happily ever after, and bought lots of expensive bicycles, rode them for hours each day, left the toilet seat up, didn't take his shoes off, and drank lots of beer, and had loads of money, and farted whenever he wanted.